The Sector Transition: UKRI Policy Fellowships 2026 support researchers who want to transfer knowledge and skills between academic and policy environments. Successful applicants will complete an 18-month fellowship with a government, public-sector or What Works Network host. The programme offers 50 positions, with project costs ranging from £180,000 to £280,000. Applications close on 10 September 2026 at 4:00pm UK time.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Sector Transition: UKRI Policy Fellowships 2026
Category: Policy and research fellowship
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Host Settings: UK or devolved government, arm’s-length bodies and What Works Network members
Number of Fellowships: 50
Duration: 18 months
Expected Start Date: 1 May 2027
Award Range: £180,000–£280,000 in full economic costs
Application Deadline: 10 September 2026 at 4:00pm UK time
About the UKRI Policy Fellowships 2026
The programme supports temporary movement between academic and policy sectors. Fellows will apply their research expertise to policy priorities while strengthening collaboration between researchers, policymakers and funding communities.
Fellows will provide research and expert advice to their hosts. They may co-design and deliver research activities, contribute to knowledge exchange and develop connections between policymaking and academic communities.
Applicants may choose from 50 specific positions offered by selected host partners. Each position has its own subject focus, working arrangements and additional eligibility requirements. Candidates must review the specification for their preferred position before applying.
Available Fellowship Types
The funding opportunity includes three fellowship categories.
Core Policy Fellowships
Core Policy Fellowships are designed for early and mid-career researchers. Fellows will be based within a UK or devolved government organisation or an arm’s-length body.
Positions may address areas connected to the UK Modern Industrial Strategy, including:
• Advanced manufacturing
• Clean energy industries
• Creative industries
• Defence
• Digital technologies
• Financial services
• Life sciences
• Professional and business services
Other positions may focus on government missions such as economic growth, health services, safer streets, barriers to opportunity and clean energy. The programme also includes fellowships connected to gambling policy and the prevention or treatment of gambling-related harm.
Natural Hazards and Resilience Policy Fellowships
These fellowships are open to early and mid-career researchers. Fellows will work with policymakers on natural hazards, pandemic preparedness and national resilience.
Relevant challenges may include:
• Infectious disease and other health risks
• Flooding
• Loss of essential services
• Disruptions involving power, food, water or telecommunications
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds these positions as part of the COVID-19 Commemoration programme.
What Works Innovation Fellowships
What Works Innovation Fellowships are open to researchers at all career stages.
Fellows will be based within the What Works Network and contribute to increasing the supply and use of evidence in areas including:
• Homelessness
• Policing
• Place-based policy
The precise research focus and working arrangements depend on the selected host position.
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Fellowship Structure
The 18-month award consists of three stages.
Inception Phase
The three-month inception phase begins on 1 May 2027. During this period, fellows remain based at their employing institutions and work at 0.4 full-time equivalent.
The phase is used to:
✓ Co-design the final fellowship scope with the host
✓ Agree on the project and planned activities
✓ Arrange access to relevant data
✓ Complete onboarding and security-clearance procedures
✓ Join the policy-fellow cohort and training programme
Fellows may attend inception meetings with UKRI and their hosts in person or virtually.
Main Placement
The main placement lasts 12 months and begins after the inception phase. It may be completed full-time or part-time at a minimum of 0.6 full-time equivalent.
Activities may include:
✓ Leading research-related work with the host
✓ Providing advice or peer review
✓ Supporting capability-building activities
✓ Strengthening engagement between government and academia
✓ Participating in activities with UKRI and the wider fellowship cohort
Each host sets its own workplace and attendance requirements. Applicants must review these arrangements in the relevant position specification.
Knowledge Exchange Phase
After completing the host placement, fellows return to their employing institutions for a three-month knowledge-exchange phase at 0.4 full-time equivalent.
This stage focuses on:
✓ Maximising the fellowship’s impact
✓ Completing engagement and publication activities
✓ Sharing lessons about working with policymakers
✓ Supporting knowledge exchange with the wider academic community
After the fellowship, participants join an alumni network for continued networking and knowledge exchange.
Fellowship Funding
UKRI funds 80% of the full economic cost of each fellowship. The maximum project cost depends on the selected fellowship type.
✓ Core Policy Fellowship: up to £180,000
✓ What Works Innovation Fellowship: up to £220,000
✓ Natural Hazards and Resilience Policy Fellowship: up to £280,000
The What Works Innovation maximum includes an additional £40,000 for research and collaboration. The Natural Hazards and Resilience maximum includes an additional £100,000 for these purposes.
Every application must include a £15,000 flexible budget. This funding may support:
✓ Participant recruitment
✓ Transcription
✓ Research software
✓ Networking activities
✓ Conferences and workshops
✓ Unforeseen placement-specific travel and subsistence
✓ Placement-specific mentorship
The flexible budget cannot replace the core costs of the fellowship, such as the fellow’s salary.
Benefits for Fellows
The fellowship provides researchers with experience applying academic knowledge in policymaking environments.
Successful fellows may benefit from:
✓ Opportunities to undertake policy-relevant research
✓ Potential access to new data
✓ Experience informing government decision-making
✓ Greater understanding of government analysis and operations
✓ Connections with policy and analytical professionals
✓ Participation in a wider cohort of UKRI Policy Fellows
✓ Access to public-policy-focused mentoring
✓ Opportunities to publish for policy and academic audiences
✓ Support from the host partner and UKRI
Early-career researchers will also receive funded mentorship from a senior researcher at their employing organisation.
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Who Can Apply?
The opportunity is open to academics who hold a doctorate or can demonstrate equivalent research experience.
Applicants must:
• Be based at an eligible UKRI research organisation
• Hold a doctorate or demonstrate postdoctoral-level research experience
• Have expertise relevant to their selected fellowship position
• Meet the additional requirements stated by the host partner
• Be able to work effectively and deliver shared outcomes
• Communicate complex information to non-academic audiences
• Demonstrate the use of expertise in a non-academic setting
• Possess strong stakeholder-engagement and collaboration skills
• Be interested in working within a governmental context
• Be able to design and lead knowledge-exchange activities
Being enrolled in or close to completing a doctorate does not, by itself, demonstrate equivalent research experience. Applicants using the equivalency route must show postdoctoral-level expertise gained in a professional research role.
Core Policy and Natural Hazards and Resilience positions are mainly aimed at early and mid-career researchers. What Works Innovation positions accept applicants at all career stages. UKRI does not impose eligibility limits based on the number of years since completing a doctorate.
Organisation and Host Requirements
The applicant’s employing organisation must be eligible to receive UKRI funding. It must also provide the research environment and infrastructure required for the fellowship.
Employing organisations must provide mentorship for early-career researchers. Support for more senior researchers may also be included when clearly justified.
Successful fellows must:
• Sign a fellowship agreement involving the host and employing research organisation
• Meet security, nationality and clearance requirements set by the host
• Have the right to work in the UK by 1 May 2027
• Follow the attendance and location requirements for the selected position
• Be available for fellowship-related travel and cohort activities
• Follow applicable public-sector conduct and confidentiality requirements
Individual host specifications may contain additional nationality, security-clearance or professional conditions.
Who Is Not Eligible?
Applicants cannot apply if they:
• Have already completed a UKRI Policy Fellowship
• Are currently undertaking a UKRI Policy Fellowship
• Have the proposed fellowship project under consideration as a grant application with another organisation
Applicants must also satisfy every additional eligibility condition in the specification for their selected fellowship position.
Application Requirements
The UKRI Funding Service application asks candidates to select a specific fellowship position and provide detailed responses about their expertise, proposed work and organisational support.
The required sections include:
• Fellowship title and official summary
• Core team information
• Vision for the fellowship
• Approach to co-designing the project with the host
• Evidence of the applicant’s capability to deliver
• Résumé for Research and Innovation narrative
• Proposed impact, knowledge exchange, outcomes and outputs
• Career-development plan
• Statement of support from the employing organisation
• Resources and cost justification
• Information relating to research security and international collaboration, where relevant
Only one individual may be listed as the fellow for each proposal. Early-career candidates should also name a senior mentor from their employing organisation.
The organisation-support section must include a statement from the head of department. It should explain how the organisation will protect the applicant’s fellowship time, provide mentorship and support the necessary research environment.
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How to Submit an Application
Applications must be prepared through the UKRI Funding Service. The Joint Electronic Submissions system cannot be used for this opportunity.
Applicants should:
• Select the official Start Application link
• Confirm that they will serve as the fellow
• Sign in or create a Funding Service account
• Select their research organisation
• Complete the application questions
• Review the application in read-only format
• Send the completed application to their research office
• Allow the research office to check the submission
• Ensure that the lead research organisation submits the final application to UKRI
Although the fellow completes the application, only the lead research organisation can formally submit it. Once submitted, the application cannot be changed.
Selection Process
UKRI may conduct an initial sift if the number of applications is unusually high.
A panel of academic and non-academic experts will assess eligible applications against UKRI’s criteria and the additional requirements of each fellowship position. Applications will be scored to inform shortlisting.
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by representatives of the relevant host organisation. The host will make funding recommendations, while UKRI will make the final funding decisions.
Applications are assessed across the following areas:
• Vision
• Applicant capability
• Approach to co-design
• Impact, outcomes and outputs
• Career development
• Organisational support
• Resources and cost justification
UKRI expects to communicate shortlisting outcomes during the week beginning 16 November 2026. Interviews are expected during the week beginning 18 January 2027, with final decisions communicated in February 2027.
Key Dates
• Applications opened: 9 June 2026 at 9:00am UK time
• Application deadline: 10 September 2026 at 4:00pm UK time
• Shortlisting: October and November 2026
• Interview invitations: December 2026
• Interviews: January 2027
• Funding decisions: February 2027
• Fellowships begin: 1 May 2027
Applications cannot be submitted after the closing time. Applicants should also follow any earlier internal deadline set by their research organisation.
Apply Here
Submit your application through the official application link below.
